The Great Penguin Run to set world record
The African Penguin is one of only two seabirds that breeds along our coastline that is listed as globally Endangered by BirdLife International. Rather than do nothing about it, David Chamberlain (the Viidamago Foundation) is doing what he does best – running stupendous distances to raise awareness. In so doing, he hopes to set the (measured) world endurance record
His mission is to challenge ordinary people to do something extraordinary. To sit up, take note of their surroundings, and do something above and beyond themselves, for a cause that really needs their assistance. David is running for the African Penguins, and will traverse 2700 kilometres of coastline, from Walvis Bay in Namibia to St Croix Island, near Port Elizabeth. This represents the breeding range of the African Penguin (and a handy, gigantic distance for him to cover). He will be relying on the goodwill of ordinary people – to give him water as he runs through the desert, or to collect him at the end of a day’s run and give him a place to pitch his tent, have a shower, or recharge his phone.
Part of the run will include a bit of science – studying his daily energetic expenditure. This will allow Prof Tim Noakes, of the Universityof Cape Town and the Sports Science Institute of South Africa, to calculate the amount of energy that is used in the run, and set the benchmark for measured world endurance record. Other records, such as the man-hauling of sleds to the South Pole by Scott some 100 years ago, probably represent bigger endurance achievements, but were not properly measured, and so cannot be entered into the Guinness Book of Records. You can follow Dave’s progress on www.vidamago.org or facebook.com/Runningwild.org.za
The run is being filmed by The Movement, a non-profit organisation. It is planned to fill a 13-part documentary TV show. Numerous organisations, including BirdLife South Africa, the Vidamago Foundation, the Department of Environmental Affairs, and the Hans Hoheisen Charitable Trust are sponsoring the costs of the run/documentary filming and production costs.
For further information, please contact: Jo-Anne Hay of the Vidamago Foundation, on joannehaysa@gmail.com, +27 (0)82 881 8335, www.vidamago.org or Dr Ross Wanless, Seabird Division Manager at BirdLife SouthAfrica, gsp@birdlife.org.za, +27 21 419 7347.